NearnessNäide

As I sit here at my laptop in my warm and cozy middle-class home, I feel a bit odd thinking about the idea of God training my fingers for battle—mine have only really been trained to touch type! I am even more uncomfortable with the idea of nations submitting to me.

I can see how, for David, this was a lovely Psalm of praise, but I feel like a bit of a fraud praying along the theme of this Psalm. I certainly don’t feel like I’m preparing for a battle.

But it strikes me that David was not always seen as the most mighty war hero. He was the youngest of his brothers and certainly not who anyone thought would become king. He was arguably on the small side when he was anointed as king (1 Samuel 16:7), yet we see him grow into a mighty man of war (1 Samuel 16:18).

The point here is not that David is a mighty man of war, but that God equipped David for the task set before him. God, David’s rock, trained him. God loved him, shielded him, led him, and subdued people under him. And David clearly knows this. He doesn’t talk about himself as a mighty war hero. He doesn’t revel in his victory over the nations.

Rather, David praises God for what He has done. David knows it is his loving God who will deliver him—God who will be his refuge and God who will be his reason for victory.

Today, ponder this: Where in your life have you seen success like David and have you given God the credit for it? Or, where do you feel unequipped and need to ask God for help to train and protect you for that situation?